A quarter is a three-month period on a company's financial calendar that acts as a basis for periodic financial reports and the paying of dividends. A quarter refers to one-fourth of a year and is typically expressed as "Q1” for the first quarter, “Q2” for the second quarter, and so forth. For example, a quarter is often shown with its relevant year, as in Q1 2020 or Q1/20, which represents the first quarter of the year 2020.

Most financial reporting and dividend payments are done on a quarterly basis. Not all companies will have fiscal quarters that correspond to calendar quarters and it is common for a company to close their fourth quarter after their busiest time of year.

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